Picture Perfect
by Machlassie
Summary: For four years it had always been just the two of them; big brother and little sister living in a town made of only familiar faces. Life with just the two of them was satisfying and with little to complain about. But, as his sister gets older and his work becomes more involved, Eizen suddenly begins to see the charm behind a small family of three; a father, child, and... a mother.
1. CHAPTER I

**PICTURE PERFECT**

 **AUTHOR'S NOTES: Welcome to a Berseria/Zestiria AU featuring the pairing of Lailah and… Eizen. Yes, Eizen. My little heart is torn as I was a full-fledged supporter of Lailah hooking up with Zaveid, but one day I played around with the idea of hitching Eizen with Lailah and well… It never left my mind. I feel that if they ever met, they would have had damn good chemistry and not to mention, while Eizen is the Reaper, Lailah is usually portrayed as angelic and pure. They're kind of like the two sides of Eizen's coin, wouldn't you agree?**

 **CHAPTER I**

The town of Loegres. A small town centered in the continent of Midgand known for its compact marketplace. From the bath house owned by the Rangetsu brothers to the bakery belonging to the Crowe siblings, stores and shops of all kinds stood side by side and one stop to the market was all one needed to satisfy not only their essential needs, but materialistic ones as well. Working in such close quarters, the citizens were well acquainted with one another. The familiarity fashioned a comfortable environment, but it also entailed that the rumor mill was always turning. Personal issues rarely ever remained between those involved and it wasn't odd for an ill-timed gesture to be blown out of proportion.

It was for this reason that Eizen was grateful that he neither lived nor worked in the market – granted, he still often frequented for everyday necessities. He lived a few neighborhoods away from the hustle and bustle in a small suburb and every weekday he would make his way out to the university where he acted as the archaeology and history professor. The commute to the university was a 30-minute bus ride, but one could always expect him to be up and about by 6 o' clock even with his first classes starting at 9. As a male, he generally finished his hygienic routine and got himself dressed well within half an hour, but when calculating in the time it took to prepare two lunches, waking a 4-year-old, clothing, brushing, feeding, and then dropping said 4-year-old off to daycare, the extra hours were vital in getting to work on time.

But a few extra hours of sleep could never compete with the joy Eizen felt when he was with his little sister. A stark contrast from his usual gruff attitude, he never showed anything but tenderness, care, and love towards Edna. From rolling her out of bed to managing her mussed up hair and even dealing with her complaints and mutterings along the way, it was hard to find him without a smile on his lips when she was around.

Both born from two faceless women who were impregnated by the same wealthy businessman, they were both abandoned and forgotten; their fates left unknown to their birth givers and would-be father. But perhaps it was because of their unfortunate circumstances that their bond seemed stronger than the connection shared between any other pair of siblings. Edna may be all he had, but she was the only family he could have wished for.

It was Thursday morning and just like the countless days before, with 8 o clock just around the corner the blonde duo could be seen walking hand in hand down the path that led to Loegres' daycare. The closer they got to the building, the more kids could be spotted and Eizen could feel his sister's anxiety heighten as her grip got tighter around his fingers. He wouldn't label her as shy per se, but she was rather reclusive and tended to occupy herself with her own projects. It was no surprise that the group of kids would cause her some sort of distress as they disrupted her peaceful state of mind.

Kamoana, one of Edna's schoolmates, was a prime example of that. She was an overactive child; rambunctious, playful, talkative – the exact opposite of Edna. And if Eizen remembered correctly, it was around this time that she would be making her way to school. Perhaps Edna sensed her approach as well which was why she placed herself closer to her brother's leg. She had experienced a rather rough bump-in with her classmate and the experience had taught her to never stray from Eizen's side…

It was about two months ago at the beginning of the school year. As Kamoana was racing up the hill to get to school as per usual, Edna had inadvertently stepped in her path and the two collided. After Kamoana's forehead smashed into the back of Edna's skull, the little blonde was sent flying forward, resulting in scraped palms and bloodied knees. Eizen recalled quite clearly the tears that were beginning to fill her big blue eyes as he picked her off the ground. Of course, children weren't children unless they suffered bumps and bruises, but to see his little sister in such a pathetic state, he was ready to call in a substitute, cancel his classes or do whatever else was necessary to make sure that he could be by his sister's side.

However, the daycare teacher, Miss Lailah, who also happened to witness the event from her spot at the door, eased both of the siblings' nerves that day. After Eizen had carried Edna, who was fighting her tears back the rest of the walk over, into the building, he sat her on his lap and Lailah expertly went to work tending to the wounds. "Look at how brave you are," Eizen recalled hearing the teacher coo as she dabbed a cotton ball laden with antibiotic onto his sister's knees. She had a calming presence about her and by the time she had slapped on a band-aid of Edna's choice, much to Eizen's surprise, the 4-year-old's tears had vanished, albeit her nose was still slightly runny.

Lailah smiled up at the sniffling child and ran a gentle hand through her short golden locks. She fixed the areas that had become ruffled from her collision with Kamoana and Eizen watched in amazement as Edna neither pulled away nor pushed Lailah from her space. "Are you feeling better Edna," Lailah asked after her hair was smoothed back to its original state before her stumble. Edna had given a slight nod before taking her teacher's hand into her own to help herself from Eizen's lap. The way Eizen recalled the memory, her hand never left Lailah's even as they waved him goodbye from the doorway as he left for the bus stop.

A few things were gained that day. Edna learned to never stop and sniff the flowers as you might get run over and Eizen, well he got to exchange numbers with Miss Lailah. It was primarily to check in on Edna throughout the day of her injury, but he would later on learn how vital having her in his speed dial would be. As the weeks went by, he often found himself dialing her number to inform her that he would be late in picking Edna up or make her aware of who would be taking her home should his schedule keep him at the university longer than expected. Their conversations were usually brief and to-the-point, but Eizen felt as if he knew the teacher fairly well through all of them.

Kind was an understatement when he tried to find a word to describe her. She was more compassionate, a mother hen per se. She was steadfast and serious when it came to her students, but, as Eizen came to learn from the other guardians and parents, she had a whimsical and even dramatic side to her. Whenever he stopped by to drop or receive Edna, they shared brief discussions that could be either thought-provoking and leaned more on the serious side while others were casual and carefree. But regardless of the topic of conversation they found themselves talking about, Eizen always found their chats pleasant; something he couldn't say about the other women in Loegres.

And as a man, Eizen wasn't afraid to admit that he found Lailah's physical appearance stunning as well. Of course, a lot of the women in Loegres had their own unique beauty, but for Eizen, the others couldn't compare to hers. Even now as they neared the daycare and he could begin to see her tall, slender figure standing by the front doors, he couldn't help but admire the way she dressed and even how she decided to do her hair. Small details such as her choice of barrette, the way the bow of her blouse was tied, and even the color of her lip gloss didn't go unnoticed by the tall blonde man and he mentally praised her for her fine taste.

He could have gone on absentmindedly staring at her, but was startled out of his thoughts as a high-pitched voice startled him out of his thoughts. "Miss Lailah!" It was the all too familiar voice of Kamoana; racing up and over the hill past him and Edna in her usual fashion. He had felt her brush past his legs and only caught a quick glimpse of her before she was already a few feet ahead of them, arms flailing wildly as she found herself speeding down the hill quicker than expected.

"Kamoana! How many times do I have to tell you…!?" Trying to catch up to the hyperactive girl was Kamoana's mother, Medissa, a part-time nurse but full-time homemaker. She ended up slowing down a few paces behind Eizen and Edna and the three watched the inevitable as the olive-skinned girl took a tumble down the hill. Medissa slapped a hand to her forehead and sighed helplessly. "I'm sorry Eizen," she apologized to the professor as she watched Kamoana slowly begin to get up from her fall. "I've been trying to tell her to be careful of others when she's running like that, but it goes in one ear and out the other…"

Eizen shrugged. "Kids will be kids," he told her. Although Edna may hold her own little grudge against the green-haired girl, Eizen was a 28-year-old man who wasn't going to hold resentment towards a child over a mere accident. He rather appreciated Kamoana's sprightly spirit. Especially when the girl's past came to light and he learned that she too had her own experience of loss, he was happy to see that she was experiencing life the way any toddler ought to.

As Medissa dusted off her daughter whose eyes were beginning to well up, the third member of their family made his appearance. Letting out a light chuckle as he walked past Eizen towards his girls, a tall and lean brunette called out, "You feelin' alright there Kamoana? That was quite the stumble." Appearance-wise, Dyle was quite put together; handsome, well-groomed, and made to be a male model. Back when he was a few years younger, women would flock and fall head over heels for him, and as the selfish playboy he was, he toyed with and broke countless hearts. He got into a lot of trouble with the women as a result, but so long as he got what he wanted in the end, Dyle showed no remorse.

Eizen had suspected that he was the kind of guy that would forever remain single. There were just some people in the world who couldn't commit and Dyle, Eizen believed, was one of them. However, five years ago, Medissa stepped into his life and suddenly the roles were reversed. It was a love story well known throughout Loegres. After an incident at work that left him with a slipped disc along his vertebrae, Dyle met the nurse and immediately became a lovesick puppy. Medissa however wasn't at all impressed by the winemaker's uncouth speech and dating history and it took a lot of coaxing before she would eventually give him her left finger.

At the sight of her father, Kamoana's face lit up and she bounded towards him while he opened up his arms to gather her into them. "What's with the tears, eh kiddo," Dyle said as he wiped Kamoana's cheeks with the back of his hand. He planted a kiss to the side of her forehead which elicited giggles from his daughter.

Medissa joined them, but by the looks of it, she wasn't planning on sharing in the laughter with them. Instead, she had her hands on her hips as she tossed her husband an icy cold glare. "This is all your fault Dyle. You need to stop encouraging this behavior of hers."

"Ah, don't be like that baby," Dyle said as he dropped Kamoana onto his shoulders. "A little dirt isn't going to kill anyone." He pinched his wife's cheek as he passed her a bold grin. Although she put on a fierce façade, she showed no resistance towards Dyle and eventually gave in with a hopeless sigh as the father-daughter duo chuckled away.

Eizen and Edna looked on at the trio, Eizen realizing that Edna seemed to be more invested in the family happenings more so than he thought. It wasn't often that Edna's curiosity was piqued by the goings-on of others, but Eizen couldn't deny it either; there was something charming about a simple, small family such as theirs. Due to his upbringing, Eizen was denied the experience of having a father and mother figure to look up to as he grew up. The simple things such as having someone carry you on their shoulders or someone tending to your scabbed knees were all foreign to him.

But perhaps that's why he put in that extra effort to assure that Edna would experience those simple joys. Though he was her brother, he treated her more so like his daughter and due to the age gap, he wouldn't be surprised if that was how she saw him. They were happy, that was a known fact. But try as he might, there were some roles Eizen simply couldn't satisfy. He was a lousy cook and had no idea how to style the hair of a little girl. He was the last person anyone should go to for emotional advice and he hadn't the time in his tight schedule to attend events such as a school play.

So, it was always there in the back of his mind. A third member to their family. Someone who could dress his sister, prepare a full three course meal for her, lend helpful advice and a listening ear, kiss her wounds, and sing her to sleep. A mother figure to fill the roles he couldn't. Someone like…

"Good morning Edna, Eizen." Lailah. Eizen looked up from his sister to spot the daycare teacher waving at them from her spot at the entrance. Her silver hair had a date with a flat iron this morning and she had slipped on a teal pencil skirt and white blouse. At the sight of her, Edna began to tug her brother along as her short legs began to speed up. He could tell that she was eager to meet up with Lailah so let her go and she was off.

Eizen watched from a few feet away as the two of them interacted and couldn't help the gentle smile that formed on his lips. Edna's lips were moving more than he was accustomed to seeing them as she spoke with her daycare teacher and her big blue eyes were bright as she gazed up at her. She appeared genuinely happy and in turn it made him happy. It wasn't often that Edna was open towards anyone but him so to see her trust Lailah in such a way spoke volumes of the woman's nature. Man or woman, Eizen was the overprotective big brother who was often wary of those who entered his sister's life. Even some of his close buddies had little to no interaction with Edna despite how often they visited their home. Yet before he knew it, Lailah had become the exception.

He was so absorbed in watching the two females that he had become oblivious to Dyle who was trying to talk to him. "…pay Aifread a visit?"

Suddenly aware of the man's presence, Eizen turned to face the mustached man and raised an eyebrow at him, "Pardon?"

"What's the matter Eizen, you got some fluff in your ear or sumthin'?" Dyle chuckled. Unknown to Eizen, he had been trying to get his attention for the past few seconds but his words were lost on deaf ears and a clearly distracted mind. Definitely unlike the brawler he often saw frequent the gym and whose senses were always on point.

Rubbing the back of his head the blonde muttered, "Sorry." Seeing the smirk on Dyle's lips, he feared the man was piecing together the scene and conjuring a hypothesis that was, he had to admit, probably near accurate as to what had captured his attention. Of course, he would hope that Dyle was wise enough to avoid getting on his bad side and avoid spreading rumors lest he was asking for a good wallop. "What was that about Aifread," he proceeded to ask.

"He's been wondering when you're going to stop by the bar again," Dyle answered.

"Ah… About that…" Aifread was Eizen's longtime friend. The moment he turned 18 and left the orphanage he grew up in, it was Aifread who helped him get a job and his first paycheck here in Loegres. While he attended college, he worked at his bar and was given a spare guestroom upstairs – free of charge. It was an understatement to say that he owed the man, but Aifread, nor himself, were one for thanks and cordialities. Since becoming a university professor and taking Edna under his wing, a nighttime trip to the bar wasn't something he could do on a whim as it was in his early twenties.

"It's tempting, but I'll have to pass. At least until this semester is over." Paperwork and projects were in need of grading this time of year and his students too were in need of his time and attention. But even so, remove his pupils from the equation and Eizen still found himself occupied with his archaeological work. He was in the process of studying artifacts and curios recently retrieved from a dig he led and his superior was eagerly anticipating what Eizen had to say on the find.

Eizen turned his attention to his wristwatch and saw that he only had a few minutes before his bus to the university would be arriving. He clapped Dyle on the shoulder, "Give Aifread my regards until then." He turned then and began to make his way over to Lailah who was now being bombarded by children who were rushing past her to get into the building. Edna, by the looks of it, had probably already headed in to avoid the flood of children.

Spotting the approaching blonde who towered well over her students, Lailah passed him a smile and waved. "Are you heading to work now, Eizen," she asked when he stood before her.

Eizen looked down at her and nodded. There was something new he learned about Lailah every time he came across her and today it was, oddly enough, her height. Perhaps it was due to their closer quarters as he tried to make way for the kids to get through, but he couldn't help but note that with her heels on, the top of her head just barely lined with his collar bones. For someone who was as tall as he was, he did prefer taller women if he was allowed to pick and choose and Lailah was definitely on the taller side when compared to the average woman.

Not that he was assuming anything with his recent discovery.

"Aye. And I apologize in advance if I come back later than usual."

"You know I don't mind, Eizen." Lailah looked into her classroom and spotted Edna in the library, already sifting through the selection of books to stick her nose in. "It's always a privilege to look after her." She turned back to look up at Eizen and he could have sworn he saw a light blush flood her cheeks when she said, "I would love to have a daughter like her someday… You raised her well."

Eizen, so entranced with the sparkle of her eyes and pink of her cheeks, gulped and forced himself to turn away. "You're too kind…" He muttered.

Just as he was about to speak his final farewell to the teacher and head off, Kamoana, who had just plucked a flower from the lawn, was forcing her way through her classmates to show off her new discovery to Lailah. Through her efforts, she unintentionally found herself crashing full speed into the back of Eizen's legs which in turn caused him to go stumbling forward towards the silver haired beauty…

Had it not been for his quick reactions, it's most likely that Lailah would be crushed beneath him or suffering a bloody nose. Fortunately, she was spared both. However, after Eizen had caught himself, the two found themselves in a rather compromising position. With his palms pressed against the door on both sides of her head, Lailah found that the university professor was only an inch – if even that – away from her. One movement forward and their noses, and perhaps more, would have made contact.

Medissa witnessed the event and pinched the bridge of her nose in frustration. "Oh Kamoana…" She groaned.

As his wife ranted about their daughter's carelessness and inability to absorb anything she was told, Dyle on the other hand kept his eyes trained on Eizen and Lailah. He settled his chin between his thumb and forefinger and smirked.

Whatever their relationship was, they made a damn good-looking couple.

 **CHAPTER I: END**

 **AUTHOR'S NOTES: And there we have it. The first chapter to what I think is the first story featuring Eizen and Lailah romance. I have a lot of ideas as to what will happen to our odd couple and their soon-to-be blooming romance, but it might take a little extra time, motivation, and organization to get it all written out, so I make no promises as to when the next chapter will be out. Just be prepared for future fluff and romance when other ships make their debut.**

 **See you in 2018!**


	2. CHAPTER II

**CHAPTER II**

 **AUTHOR'S NOTES: Whew! This chapter ended up being a lot longer than anticipated. As a heads up, because I intend to have both Laphicets in this fic, I'm going to refer to little Phi as "Mao." (Y'know… for MAOtelus.) There's also a going to be a dash (or maybe more like a heaping spoonful) of Sorey and Alisha fluff because I can't resist their innocent romance. I hope you enjoy and I apologize beforehand if there are any typos. I reread and edit as much as I can, but one can only read their writing so many times…**

He missed his bus by just a few minutes due to his little mishap with Lailah that left the both of them flustered. Although they must have been in the position for only a few seconds, for him, it felt as if time froze and he was staring into her eyes for an eternity. He couldn't say how long he was pressed up against her in that position before Velvet Crowe's cold voice could be heard.

"Get a room," she had said when she caught sight of the two. She didn't care for how the two ended in such close quarters as she assumed it was out of pure incident considering the personalities of the brooding Eizen and innocent Lailah. But she didn't mind poking fun of them in her own, cynical, Crowe-like way. Besides, she was dropping off her nephew Mao and would rather avoid having the boy ask his father what he caught his teacher doing.

Eizen woke from his trance after he had heard her voice and slowly pushed away. He had muttered a pathetic sorry to the blushing teacher before fully stepping away and allowing her space. Her hands were clasped before her and she suddenly took an interest in the floor beneath her feet. It was an awkward moment to say the least as Eizen didn't know what were the appropriate words to say nor which actions to take. Ironically, it was Kamoana who had eased the tension as she pushed past Eizen to show off her newfound flowers to Lailah which momentarily distracted the teacher long enough to allow Eizen to sneak off.

Now as he awaited the next bus to arrive, he pondered back on his actions and wished that he had composed himself better. It wasn't often that Eizen found himself losing his cool demeanor that garnered the admiration of his students and friends. He wasn't unfamiliar with being with a woman so being in close quarters with one shouldn't have put him on edge as much as it had, but Lailah seemed to had cast some sort of spell on him. Those shimmering pink lips when she pouted, her sea green eyes that gazed into his pools of blue…

The second bus pulled up and he shook his head of the image that had manifested in his mind. He didn't know when he had started thinking of her in such a way. But there were times when he would be in the middle of a lecture, halfway through a workout session, or even waiting for the bus and thoughts of her would suddenly flood his mind. From what she was wearing and doing on days he didn't see her, to even pondering what her feelings were towards him, these kinds of thoughts swarmed his mind and left him in a state of daydream.

When the bus's doors opened up, he stepped in and looked around for a seat to take. Unfortunately, with it being rush hour, he found that an empty seat was rare save for a single one beside a woman who possessed an icy cold glare. The woman happened to be Teresa Linares and as he was glancing to and fro wondering where to settle, their eyes met for a brief second and Eizen swiftly turned away; worried that he be accused of staring. He only had a few run-ins with the "Queen of the Courtroom" but those few moments had reminded him why he was content with a "single" status.

Just as he had made the decision to make his way towards the back, he was just about to bypass the blonde woman until he heard her say in her usual harsh tone, "I don't bite." Medissa, Velvet, and now Teresa… Eizen was just fortunate enough to have all the run-ins with the coldest women in Loegres this morning, didn't he?

Proceeding with his original plan now was void as doing so would make the situation even more awkward than it already was. So, after passing her a nod, he reluctantly settled down in the seat beside her. Granted, half of him was hovering off the edge.

They rode for a few minutes in an awkward silence before Teresa finally spoke up. With her eyes glued to the passing scenery, she said in an almost uninterested tone, "I don't normally see you on this bus, Professor."

Was this her attempt at starting a conversation? Her voice had slightly startled him as he had expected that this half hour drive would be nothing but silence as he would prefer. But if she was going to speak, Eizen would be uncouth if he were to not respond. "That's noticeable of you, Teresa," he stated with as much interest in the topic as she had.

"I take this bus every day. A detail such as a new face wouldn't elude me."

Ah, of course, Eizen thought. Although she was technically just Artorius Collbrande's assistant, she was just as sharp as the chief prosecutor himself. With the combination of his level-headedness, wit, and unwavering resolve mixed with her ruthlessness, cold, and commanding presence, they were truly an indomitable pair in the courtroom. Rumor had it that out of the many cases they have been involved in, the ones in which they were unable to declare a guilty verdict could be counted on one hand.

"It's not often I see you running late for work." Teresa continued.

"I had something to discuss with Edna's teacher." He didn't think it was wise to lie as part of her job was detecting bullshit, so he opted for a vague response.

Teresa's ears seemed to perk at Lailah's name and she finally peeled her eyes of the window to look at him. Eizen couldn't help but gulp then as her emerald green eyes bore into him and he feared that she could sense he was hiding more in his answer than he was letting on. "Ah yes, Lailah…"

She seemed thoughtful as she repeated the name and it made Eizen curious. "You know something about her?"

"She's been here for a few months now, yet no one seems to know a thing about her. I recall Magillanica at the library had questioned her on her past yet she had avoided the question and gone on a random tangent about swirls and Arma Dylan… Curious, wouldn't you agree?"

Eizen shrugged. Whenever that Mayvin girl was involved, conversations normally took on an odd turn. Besides, it's not like Lailah would be the first to dodge a question asked by that nosy witch. Giving her any personal information was practically loading her gun aimed at you. "So she wants to keep some things secret. What's wrong with that?" Eizen said in Lailah's defense.

At this, Teresa raised a curious eyebrow towards him while her sharp eyes bore holes into him. Eizen found her gaze unnerving and he turned away. "I guess if anyone knows her best, it would be you." He heard her say calmly. "You wouldn't let her become so close to Edna otherwise."

"That's a bit of an overstatement, wouldn't you say?" It was now Eizen's turn to quirk an eyebrow. Sure he spoke to her on a daily basis but, truth be told, he knew about her personal life just as well as she knew his. Which was to say, very little. But he did trust her just as Teresa said. Without even knowing her past, he let her into their lives and allowed her access to his most precious treasure. Not that he was ever concerned considering that she was qualified to be a teacher, but even with his closest of friends he kept a close eye on them whenever they were around Edna.

"You speak to her often though, don't you?" the blonde woman inquired.

"Only when it concerns Edna."

As if she didn't hear him, she muttered thoughtfully, "It makes me wonder if she's single…"

Eizen began to ponder the same thing as well even after Teresa had exited at the capital and he was left alone to his thoughts. It was hard to imagine that a beautiful woman like herself could be without a boyfriend or husband. Images of her in the arms of a faceless man formed in his mind and it elicited in him an unpleasant feeling. Was this a twinge of jealousy? Over a man who may not even exist? He tried to conjure up the image of her in his mind. Did she have a ring on her finger? Or ever mention a man in her life?

As these questions popped up one after another, Eizen eventually found himself entering his classroom. He was over a quarter of an hour late but aside from one rambunctious student, he could trust that his office wouldn't be in shambles. Not only did he have particularly well-behaved pupils, but with the semester coming to an end, they were also hard at work studying for finals. Eizen came to this conclusion when he took note of his two star pupils, with their desks pressed together, looking through their textbooks and discussing the topics within.

It seemed that they were currently in the middle of a heated discussion concerning the content in their book while two fellow classmates looked on from their seats behind the duo.

"Geez, look at them go," a red-headed girl spoke to her friend as she rested her chin upon her fist, "All this over a stupid statue."

"Excuse me, Rose?" The shorter of the two boys caught wind of her comment and turned in his seat to face her. " _Stupid_ statue? Clearly you don't know the significance of this statue and the role it plays. If it was made by those of the Meliodas Era instead of the Claudin era as stated, that would mean that those of the Meliodas Era were more advanced than we had given them credit for."

With his chin settled in between his fingers and a thoughtful look settled on his features, the brunette nodded. "From their technology, language, and even their clothing… It would flip current history books on their heads."

"Precisely Rose," Eizen interjected as he made his appearance at the head of the classroom. All side conversations came to an abrupt stop as all eyes immediately fell on him; his heavy presence dominating the room the moment he revealed himself. He was just as intimidating in the classroom as he was out but nonetheless, many flocked from around the continent just to attend his lectures. He had built a name for himself out in the archaeological world with his finds and discoveries which led many enthusiasts to seek him out and learn from the very best. Suffice to say, they were not disappointed.

Unperturbed by the sudden silence in the room and the many pairs of eyes that had found him, Eizen proceeded with his brief lecture to his uninterested student. "Simple things such as the cravat, which we had assumed to be fashioned in the Claudin area, may have been invented long before and possibly didn't gain popularity until later on. It then poses the question as to why it suddenly became a fashion statement a decade after."

Leaning back in her seat, Rose passed Eizen her casual goofy grin and spoke as if she hadn't caught a word of what he said. "Oh, hey Teach'. Nice to see that you made it."

"I had some business to take care of before getting here," Eizen responded as he began unloading his materials from his suitcase and displaying them on his desk. "I would hope that all of you used your extra minutes without me wisely…" The light caught his reading glasses just as he passed his pupils a menacing glare.

"Sure, sure," Rose said nonchalantly, "Now… what was that about a croissant again?"

XxxxxxxxxxxX

Lunchtime had come to pass with little casualties and now after having exerted all their morning energy and filling their bellies, exhaustion took over and the children began drifting to sleep. Scattered all throughout the daycare, sleeping toddlers could be found and Lailah busied herself with laying the little ones down properly for their nap. Fortunately, aside from walking to and fro, the kiddos were easy to handle and put up no resistance when being tucked in.

After putting Mao down for his nap, Lailah glanced around the room and noticed that the last child she had to grab was little Edna. Settled in the corner library with a fairytale book opened up before her and a bag of baby carrots that her brother had packed for her at her side, the young girl fought to keep her eyes open. Seeing her in such a state warmed Lailah's heart and she wasted no time in rushing to the girl to envelop her in her arms. Lailah cared for all of the tots equally, but with all the individual time she spent with Edna, she couldn't deny that she felt closer to her than the others.

The second she was in the warmth of Lailah's embrace, Edna gave up her resistance and snuggled into her bosom before comfortably letting her exhaustion take over. Lailah ran her hand down the little girl's hair as she instinctively began to hum. She didn't know much about the siblings' past; all Eizen had told her was that it had always just been the two of them, hence the reason why she often found herself acting as babysitter while they awaited Eizen to come pick her up. But the words she had told him this morning – she meant all of it. She didn't mind caring for Edna in the least while he was running a few hours late. It was far more desirable than going home to an empty apartment.

As she was carrying Edna over to the mattress she had laid out, her phone had begun to vibrate in her back pocket. Realizing the time, she wasn't shocked in the slightest to find Eizen's name flashing on her screen. It had become routine of him to call her after he had lunch. At first it had only been to inform her if he was going to be running late, but gradually it became a daily phone call as she often found him calling to check up on Edna which would then lead to him inquiring about her day.

She picked up his call as she began laying Edna's sleeping body down. "Hello?"

Eizen, who on the other end was settled at his desk in a currently empty classroom, hadn't prepared himself for Lailah to answer so quickly and was momentarily caught off guard. "Uh, Lailah," he began, "It's me."

Lailah let out a little giggle. "Good afternoon Eizen. I apologize for being unable to give you a proper goodbye today. Kamoana had given me some flowers and when I looked up you had already run off."

Eizen blushed as he recalled that morning's events. Lailah didn't seem fazed at all recalling it which made him feel a twang of disappointment. But he didn't let it bother him for long as he mumbled back, "About that… Sorry, I lost track of time and had to catch the bus…" Which, he didn't admit, he would eventually miss anyways. He heard her hum on the other end as she acknowledged his latest statement and he digressed. "How's Edna?"

"She just started her nap," the daycare teacher responded gently as she brushed her face with light fingertips. "She offered me a piece of her lunch today. I didn't take you as a cook, Eizen."

His face began to heat up at her comment. Had anyone else told him the same compliment, he wouldn't have shied away from boasting. But with Lailah, her thoughts about him, actually mattered to him. So, he gave her a humble response. "I… try my best…" Again he heard her gentle laughter on the other end and he smiled upon hearing it. "I'm going to be lecturing a cram class tonight. I probably won't get home until after six."

"You know we'll be here waiting for you." Lailah responded with a smile on her lips.

Eizen honestly wondered if she knew what kind of reaction she caused when she said words like that. He gulped and rubbed the back of his head to calm down his nerves and hopefully lose some of the red in his face. "There's supposed to be a storm tonight. Make sure to lock up tight."

"Of course, Eizen. Be careful on your way back."

A few students began to saunter in from lunch and he quickly bade her goodbye and hung up before they could catch onto more of their conversation.

"Are you alright Professor," one of his students asked when she caught sight of his reddened cheeks.

Rose trailed behind and passed him a dirty smirk. "I wouldn't worry about him, Alisha. Someone probably just got off the phone with their wife…"

Before Eizen could retort, one of his top students, Sorey asked innocently, "You have a wife Professor?"

"Heh. What a surprise," Mikleo said.

"What did she tell you Teach'?" Rose prodded, elbowing him in the shoulder as she raised her eyebrows suggestively.

Rising to his full height, he glared at his students behind clear lenses. "Sit. All of you." There were no if's, and's, or but's when Eizen's patience was tested. Suffice to say, their seats were taken though not without some gentle chuckling from his redheaded student.

XxxxxxxxxxxX

Cram school ended at 5 as was originally planned, but as expected, Eizen didn't get to begin packing his things away until half an hour later as he was busy answering last minute questions. By then, the predicted rainstorm had already begun and although it wasn't even six, the light outside had completely diminished.

"It's looking pretty dreary out there," Mikleo noted as he zipped up his backpack, careful to make sure that any study materials wouldn't be sullied by the rain.

"You have to get to the bus stop, don't you Alisha," Sorey asked his female colleague as she eyed the weather outside.

"Oh, yes," she responded, mildly startled out of her thoughts. Fortunately, the rainfall wasn't a surprise and she had packed a parasol, but she hadn't imagined that it would be pelting as hard as it was. As per school regulations, she was donned in her school uniform consisting of a dark green pleated skirt, blouse, and a matching light jacket – hardly sufficient to stand up to the storm outside. Not to mention, she had failed to bring a pair of rainboots as Rose had done. Her loafers were doomed for when she imagined the puddles that awaited her.

Sorey passed her his genuine, warm smile. "I'll give you a ride over," he offered.

Alisha blushed at his offer. "Oh no I couldn't." While she lived in uptown Loegres, he resided in the small homes just nearing the edge of the town and entering the hiking and camping areas. The bus stop she frequented was out of the way of his usual path home. "I wouldn't want to be a hindrance to you."

Rose placed her hands upon the blonde's shoulders and began pushing her towards the brunette. "Geez, will you stop being so modest," she grinned, "He's being nice and offering you a ride. Just say thanks, won't ya'?"

"Yes, please do otherwise we'll be here all night." Mikleo deadpanned from the classroom doorway.

Chuckling, Sorey met up with his childhood friend and he landed a light blow to his shoulder which Mikleo wasn't slow to return.

"Hey, wait up guys," Rose called as she ran off after them, her colorful rainboots squeaking against the floor with each step.

Eizen and Alisha trailed after the trio as they began heading towards the building's exit, and the whole while Eizen wondered how Alisha got mixed in with them. Similar to himself, she was the daughter of a wealthy businessman, although in her case, she happened to know her father. She was something that Eizen would describe as a bird locked behind a golden gilded cage. Sometimes her lack of common knowledge astounded him and the way she spoke was far too proper for an 18-year-old girl. She was bred and groomed to be the future successor of her father's company and although her father was heavily against it, attending the university was her first significant experience outside of her mansion walls.

A childhood like Sorey's, where one was free to frolic outdoors, gather bugs, and get lost in adventure books was unfamiliar to her. Perhaps it was that curiosity of the other person's lifestyle is what drew her to them and vice versa. While on the topic, Eizen wondered what kind of childhood Lailah had and what she was like as a child altogether. Whenever the children – the boys especially – presented her with bugs they found in their yard, she never seemed startled by the creatures which impressed him. Did she collect bugs when she was little as he had?

Before he knew it, a temperature change had occurred and the scent of rain reached his nostrils. They had made it outside and were currently standing underneath the roof of the university's entrance. Eizen and Alisha surveyed the weather and wondered how to face the storm while her friends had already carelessly run out into the downpour. She opened up her umbrella and realized that the professor came empty handed aside from his briefcase. He didn't even have a jacket to cover his suit. "Professor, would you – "

"I'm fine," Eizen interrupted, anticipating what his student was going to say next. "You're going to need it more than I will."

Before Alisha could say anymore, Sorey, soaking wet from head to toe, came running back towards them, a bright grin on his face. He didn't seem at all deterred by the rainfall and, as if it was natural for him to do, he took her free hand into his own.

"Let's go Alisha," he told her, guiding her out into the rain and eventually beginning a light jog.

She was adjusting to the feeling of soggy shoes and the feeling of mud splashing onto her calves that she had some difficulty keeping up with him. But his hand never released hers and although she had seen him sprint across fields with little difficulty, he never quickened his pace. He looked back over his shoulder at her and passed her that signature cheery grin. His smile was contagious as Alisha found she couldn't resist returning it with one of her own.

Eizen chuckled lightly as he watched them run off and considered that perhaps it was time he ought to begin heading home as well. He had Edna waiting for him and, when he thought about it, Lailah was too…

XxxxxxxxxxxX

"It's getting pretty dark out…" Lailah whispered with a tinge of concern in her voice as she stared out at the rain that was practically pouring down the windows. She was sitting on the bench right near the doorway of the daycare where the kids could swap out their shoes and hang their jackets and Edna was beside her, resting her head upon her lap. Lailah checked her phone again and saw that she still hadn't received a call from him. She had tried calling him thrice already, but he failed to answer.

She hadn't let Edna see her concern however and she kept the girl busy with coloring books and stories. But now it seemed she just wanted to see her brother and go home. A little growl could be heard emanating from Edna's stomach and it was of no surprise considering that it was well past dinnertime now. "My poor Edna," Lailah cooed, helping her into an upright position. "Let's get something in your tummy."

Edna nodded and followed the daycare teacher into the breakroom where a little refrigerator was kept. In case she was unable to prepare a lunch before arriving to work, Lailah kept a stash of ingredients to make a decent lunchbox.

"Hm… Let's see here…"

Edna watched with big eyes as Lailah put together a nice hearty sandwich with tomatoes, lettuce, deli meat, and cheese. Edna assisted in her own way by smearing mayonnaise onto a slice of bread Lailah had handed her. With the sandwich and their choice of boxed juices in hand, the duo returned to the playroom and settled down at the coloring table to begin dinner. Although there were plenty of unoccupied chairs, Edna had taken her seat upon Lailah's lap and handed her the juice bottle for her to puncture.

A drawing left on the table drew Lailah's attention and she picked it up to examine it closer. "What's this Edna," she asked the girl before her. Currently it looked like three stick figures with the foundation of a house beginning behind them.

After swallowing her food and taking a sip from her juice, Edna responded back quietly, "It's not done yet…"

"Will you show me the picture when it's complete?"

Her little blonde head bobbed up and down as she went down for another bite.

Just then, there was a knock on the front door, startling the two. Just as Eizen had asked, Lailah had locked the doors and windows, preventing any intruders from entering, however, through the downpour of rain and glass pane, Lailah could see that it was no stranger. Edna, recognizing as well the tall, imposing figure to be her brother, slid off Lailah's lap and made her way towards the entrance, Lailah following close behind.

"Eizen, you made it." Lailah exclaimed after opening the door to let him in. Unfortunately, the wind and rain took it as an invitation to enter as well and she couldn't control the shiver her body made.

Before he could bring in anymore water and wind into the room, Eizen stepped inside quickly inside remained at the doorway to prevent getting the floor wet. "Yeah, sorry I was a little late." He looked down at Edna and bent down on one knee to match her height. Although he was still dripping wet, Edna didn't resist her brother's embrace. He scooped her up and examined her features. He chuckled when he found a bread crumb resting on her lip. "Did you already have dinner?"

Once he was back to his full height, Lailah laid a hand on his shoulder to test how drenched he was. "You're dripping wet, Eizen. Let me go grab a towel for you." Before he could resist, she had vanished into the backroom to reemerge with a small white towel. She began padding the cloth along his neck and shoulders in the hopes of removing some water from his clothes before moving upwards to his hair.

"I'll uh… take this…" Eizen mumbled as he balanced Edna in one arm and took to drying his hair with the other.

As he was busy drying himself, a pout was beginning to form upon Lailah's lips. "Why didn't you pick up my calls?" She asked with a very slight tinge of anger in her voice. As slight as it was, Eizen could detect it and he gulped.

"My phone died on me… S-sorry…" His phone was involuntarily unplugged last night and had been living off the little juice it had from the day prior. He had noticed during his phone call with her after his lunch that the batteries were flashing red, but there was little he could do considering that he hadn't a charger on him at the time.

Lailah figured that he couldn't prevent that from occurring and accepted his response. She whispered back, "I was worried about you."

"You were…?"

As the two spoke gently among themselves, altering the conversation between the day's events to what they were planning to do once they reached home, Edna looked on from her angle with curious eyes. They interacted similarly to the way she had seen Kamoana's parents had – the way a married couple acted towards one another. The way the other children spoke about their mothers, it was an experience that Edna was envious of. Eizen could spoil her with all the presents and dolls in the world, but the gift of warmth that Lailah occasionally provided, was something she desired over toys.

"We should probably begin heading home before it gets too late." Lailah advised, albeit with reluctance.

"Aye." Eizen agreed. "It looks like the storm has settled down just a little. Will you be okay walking home by yourself…?"

"I'm only a ten-minute walk from here. I'll be alright."

The face Eizen displayed told her that he wasn't convinced. Although Loegres had a relatively low crime rate within the suburbs, there was no guarantee that there wasn't a lecher, robber, or even murderer lurking about. Especially with the weather being the way it was now, it was the opportune moment to commit crime. Should anyone grab ahold of her in the dark, no one would be around to hear her cries of help.

"Here," Lailah said, handing him a parasol from the umbrella stand. "I wouldn't want you to catch a cold."

He frowned as he looked down at her and in an act of accepting the umbrella presented to him, he gently laid a hand over hers. Their eyes met and he sternly stated, "When you make it home, call me."

A devious smile made its way to Lailah's lips. "Will your phone be charged by then?"

"Then you call me until I answer." Eizen smirked in return.

Just as they were preparing to leave the schoolhouse and finally begin their walk home, Edna stopped halfway through the doorway and retreated back into the classroom.

"Did you forget something Edna?" Eizen called after her.

She ran back to the table where her and Lailah had recently shared dinner and retrieved the picture she was working on as she was awaiting Eizen to come pick her up. She slipped it into her backpack and secured it; making sure that the weather wouldn't get to it. Afterwards, she returned to Eizen and Lailah and together they left the building.

Once outside, Lailah wrapped her arms about herself as the chilly air touched her skin. The rain was no longer as relentless as it had been just a few minutes ago, but it still drizzled. She only had a light cardigan to protect her from the temperature as she had decided to disregard the weatherman the night before. Thankfully, as she stated earlier, her apartment was only ten minutes away. One couldn't catch hypothermia in ten minutes could they, she pondered.

Suddenly, a layer of warmth covered her. Peering over her shoulder, she realized that this new warmth was from the black blazer Eizen had just draped over her. "Eizen…"

"You can return it to me the next time we see each other," he told her.

She hummed and pulled the blazer tighter about herself. "Thank you, Eizen…"

Although she had a parasol of her own, Lailah had somehow found her way underneath Eizen's as they ascended the hill. Edna led the way with her matching yellow boots, hat, and raincoat, while the two adults chatted behind her. She was even equipped with her own lacy parasol which Lailah adored. Getting up the hill was usually no difficult feat for her, even in heels, but with the rain loosening up the pebbles underfoot, she didn't trust her balance which Eizen had noticed as he offered her his arm. Their arms were linked the entire walk up and were only separated once they had to go their separate ways.

Lailah opened up her umbrella and stepped out from underneath Eizen's. She gazed at the two siblings and gave a gentle wave goodbye. "Have a goodnight, you two."

Eizen nodded and whispered back in return, "Take care on your way home. I'll be waiting for your phone call…"

 **CHAPTER II: END**

 **More characters await in future chapters. Stay tuned!**


	3. CHAPTER III

**CHAPTER III**

 _Knock, knock, knock._

Eizen rapped on the white wooden door of Lailah's apartment. A golden set of characters reading "5C" contrasted the stark white of the door and told him he was at the correct residence. As stated previously, Loegres was a town where everyone knew everyone. And consequently, that meant everyone knew where everyone lived; or at least had a strong hunch as to where it was.

Palms slightly sweaty, the professor was anxious at the thought of what her reaction may be when she saw him on her doorstep. Would she greet him with a smile? Would she be shocked? Or would she – heaven forbid – find his presence at her home unwelcoming? Although these questions and doubts plagued his mind, he also couldn't help but feel excitement at the thought of seeing her in a setting outside of their usual meetings.

It was Saturday morning. The last time he had seen her was that rainy Thursday night, that same night in which she ended up falling asleep talking to him on the phone. At the time, Eizen had thought she was simply worn out from a long day at work. But as it turns out, when she didn't show up to work and had instead left Eleanor Hume, her teacher-in-training, in charge the following day, it came to light that her fatigue was due to illness.

He had thought it odd that the day prior she wasn't there to greet the children. In the months he had known her, he couldn't recall a day in which she was absent from her spot at the entrance. But he brushed it off and proceeded to head to work. With the day being Friday, and his students anxious to enjoy their weekend, he had no plans to stay over hours and thus had no reason to contact Lailah. It wasn't until he had picked Edna up and returned home that he realized his little sister was quieter than usual.

"Something the matter, Edna?" He had asked as he was in the midst of preparing dinner for the two of them. She often sought solitude in her room whenever she noticed Eizen was busy in the kitchen or holed up in his office. As young as she was, she was oddly mature and knew when not to disturb or interrupt her brother – not that he would have ever minded anyhow if she were to interrupt him. So to see her in the dining room waiting for him, he knew something was on her mind.

After setting the stove heat to low and allowing the stew to safely simmer away, he settled down in the chair beside her. She was fiddling with something in her hands, a sign that she was uncharacteristically nervous. "Do you have something you want to show me?" Eizen asked. He figured it was another drawing she had made at daycare that she wanted to show him. Although, if that were the case, he figured she would have left it on the table as she had done with the other previous drawings and projects she had made.

At her brother's prompting, her little hands eventually pulled themselves out from beneath the dinner table and revealed a piece of paper folded in two. "What's this?" Eizen murmured as he tried to peer around her fingers to see what kind of crayon pictures were drawn on the surface. He could distinguish a big heart on the cover. As was typical with children's art, everything had to have a face and this heart was no exception. But along with a face, her drawing was also sporting a nurse's cap and equipped with a syringe. And a big one at that.

Before Eizen could comprehend the purpose of the card or why she was being so sneaky about it, Edna said, in her quiet, monotone voice, "I made it for Miss Lailah. She was sick today."

"Sick?" Eizen repeated. Suddenly her lack of appearances today made sense. And just as suddenly as he connected the dots, he immediately felt guilty. Was it because he had made her walk home in the rain last night that made her catch cold? And why hadn't he even called her to check up on her? Sure, it wasn't as if they were all chummy and were calling each other on a daily basis to ask about one another's day; the previous night was actually the first moment in which their phone calls were not business related, but the professor couldn't help but feel that he should have acted when he noticed her presence missing at the daycare that morning.

Edna took the card back to her lap so he couldn't continue to observe it and peered up at him with her big blue eyes. "I want to give it to her." She stated.

"That's kind of you, Edna," Eizen replied. "I'm sure Miss Lailah will be happy to get it."

"Can we… give it to her tomorrow?"

"Tomorrow?" Eizen repeated. "Edna, tomorrow is Saturday."

She didn't waver as she continued to stare up at him, a telltale sign that she was well aware what day it was going to be. And if Edna wasn't going to let up, Eizen for sure wasn't going to win any battles; as if he could ever say no to his sister. He rubbed the back of his neck before rising to his feet. "I'll go give her a call," he murmured as he walked out of the room to hunt for his phone.

And that's how Eizen found himself on Lailah's welcome mat this Saturday morning. After an evening phone call to the daycare teacher, Lailah seemed more than happy to have the duo over. However, now that he was actually at her apartment, he couldn't help but wonder if her happiness was feigned. He wouldn't have blamed her in the slightest if she wanted to spend the weekend in peace and quiet. But now it seemed they were interrupting her plans by having her entertain guests and while she was recovering from a cold no less.

After a few more seconds of silence, noises could be heard on the other side of the door. It was gentle shuffling, a common noise to hear when the house occupant was moving about. It stopped for a brief moment and then Eizen could hear the lock mechanism click just before the door opened and a familiar peered out from the opening.

Her hair was down and framed her slender face which at the moment bore minimal makeup. However, Eizen would be a fool to say that she looked less attractive because of it. Quite the contrary. Her made-up face suited her motherly, mature side she displayed at work. While the look she bore now made her appear youthful and accentuated her teasing side. However she decided to do her makeup, Eizen found he would appreciate her beauty no matter which way. Looking at her now, had he not known any better, he wouldn't have guessed she was feeling under the weather. She still looked beautiful to him.

"Hello," she greeted, fully opening the doorway so that it was wide enough for the two to enter. When she did this, her outfit was revealed which Eizen also took the opportunity to glance over. Her long legs were covered in a simple pair of black cotton leggings and on her top, she wore a loose-fitting long sleeve shirt. Her upper body was so petite, the shirt tended to slip off one of her arms, exposing not only the strap of her camisole underneath but the tip of her shoulder and collarbones. Eizen wasn't one for female fashion, but with how good a simple over-sized shirt made Lailah looked, he wondered if the look was intentional. "Come on in," Lailah proceeded to say, a lovely smile planted on her pink lips.

Edna led the way with her big brother following right behind. As Lailah began to shut the door, Edna began the process of slipping off her pink sneakers. Lailah bent down to help her and when one sneaker was off, she was able to see the choice of sock Edna had decided to don today. "What cute socks Edna," Lailah commented as she eyeballed the simple white sock with lace trimming, "Did you pick them out yourself?"

Edna nodded as she placed a hand on Lailah's shoulder to help steady herself.

"Wow, you have good taste," Lailah responded as she proceeded to help her with her other shoe.

While they were on the topic of shoes and socks, Eizen couldn't help but notice that Lailah's feet were bare, not that it was anything out-of-the-ordinary considering that she was at home. He didn't have a creepy foot fetish or anything of the sort, but he found himself in awe of how this woman could make him find even her feet appealing. They were long and slender and her toes were painted white to match with her manicure.

When all shoes were slipped off and placed neatly at the doorway entrance, Edna ran off to the coffee table and sofas a little distance away from the entrance to begin laying out all the supplies she had stuffed into her backpack last night. Lailah's classic sense of style seemed to reflect not only in her fashion but also in her interior design. Her sofas were a soft white and the low table before them was made of a clear glass sitting upon gold legs. Along her walls were also gold accented paintings to lighten and compliment the small flat. Eizen pondered on whether the paintings bore any value or were merely thrifted and she had taken a liking to them.

"Thank you, Lailah," Eizen said just out of earshot of his sister, "for having us over like this when you're not feeling well." Although she didn't appear unwell in her physical appearance, he noticed her movements were more sluggish than usual and he wouldn't doubt if she was hiding a fever from the two of them. "I'm sorry to have kept you so late that night."

Lailah's hands went to her hips as she immediately passed him a pout which he was sure made him blush. "Eizen," she began in a lecturing tone, a tone Eizen was sure she used on ill-behaved kids, "I'm surrounded by sticky, bug-collecting, mud-eating children every day." Various images passed through Eizen's mind as he imagined whose bizarre children suited these categories. He couldn't deny that he was now slightly worried about putting Edna in a room full of amoebas like the ones Lailah was listing. Her look softened as she lowered her stance. "I doubt a short walk in the rain would be the main culprit in this case. And even if it was, I would do it all over again so long as I knew Edna was being taken care of. So, I don't want to hear you apologize for anything silly like that again."

Eizen rubbed the back of his head at a loss of words to say to the silver-haired beauty before him. He could only think of saying "sorry" again, but he figured that wouldn't be the best choice of words seeing as how that's what earned him his light scolding to begin with. It wasn't often he found himself on the receiving end of a lecture. And as Lailah continued to stare up at him, he definitely couldn't concentrate on what words to say next – not when those eyes, a light green like a tropical sea, were gazing at him.

Instead, Lailah broke the silence as she finally took note of the leather briefcase in his hand. It was the one she was accustomed to seeing him carry whenever he was coming to and from work. Whenever he was dropping his sister off or picking her up, that handcrafted suitcase was his accessory that never left his side. She figured it held important work documents. Odd though that he would be carrying it to her house on a weekend. "Do you have some work to catch up on, Eizen?"

As it was the season of finals, Eizen's workload was usually pushed into the weekends. It was another reason he was so willing to ask Lailah if she would have them over today. With him being caught up in his work, Edna would usually end up spending her weekends alone in her room. Sometimes Kamoana would show up on his doorstep and ask for a playmate but from rumors he had previously heard, this weekend Dyle had taken them out boating on a nearby lake.

He didn't want Edna to waste away in her room alone on a weekend. And seeing her so happy with Lailah, he couldn't find enough reasons to deny her request. It wasn't intentional, but he did feel slightly guilty in that he seemed to be using Lailah as a 24/7 babysitter even as she was sick. Before he could explain his work situation, Lailah's gentle smile returned and she whispered, "You can set up office in my room if you would like." She didn't wait for a response as she began to lead him to her bedroom.

Immediately the light scent of fresh powder hit Eizen's nose as Lailah opened the door. It wasn't an overpowering fragrance in the slightest and not the least bit noxious as some other women's perfume seemed to take on. Odd as it seemed, the scent suited the daycare teacher. If one were to look at her and take a gander as to what perfume she bore, Eizen wouldn't doubt that a multitude of people would guess this light powdery scent was her choice. And it was of no surprise to him either how well her bedroom equally suited her personality.

Pure white was her bedsheet. And just like the rest of the furniture in her house, also white with gold accents here and there. Minimal and modern. Despite the stereotype that all women were shopaholics, her closet, although small, was able to contain all of her clothes with room to spare. "Will this be okay?" Lailah asked him as she was clearing out her vanity countertop. "I got rid of my office desk when I moved here and I still haven't replaced it."

"This should be more than enough, Lailah," Eizen assured her. He would have been more than fine if he was forced to work on the floor, especially since they were guests in her humble home.

Lailah moved to the doorway as he went about laying out his work materials. From behind, his simple actions mirrored those of his sister's when she was emptying her backpack. She couldn't help but smile at her little discovery. "I'm going to let you get to work. If you need anything, I'll be in the kitchen. Edna and I were thinking of making some cookies today."

Eizen smiled back at her, "I appreciate you, Lailah. For everything."

XxxxxxxxxxxX

It didn't take long for Eizen to go into his usual trance. When he was absorbed in completing a task, he became very incognizant to the world around him and a very few things could disrupt him when he was in this state. It was as if he were in his own little bubble where time and space didn't exist. It was just him and his gradually diminishing pile of paperwork that existed. _Only seven – no, six – essays left…_ He thought to himself as he examined the last of what remained.

Just as he grabbed the next essay to read over, his phone began vibrating, rattling the vanity beneath with it. In an instant, that imaginary bubble that had formed around him burst and he was back in Lailah's room where time was present. He looked over at who was calling him and wasted no time in answering when he spotted the name reflected on the screen.

"Mayvin?"

A long sigh echoed from the other end before the voice of an elderly man chuckled back, "No 'hello' or 'how are you' as usual."

Eizen smirked. "It's not often you call. And when you do, you always just want to jump straight to the point. Just doing you a favor."

The man on the other end was none other than a fellow archaeologist, Mayvin – uncle to the local librarian, Magillanica Lou. Eizen had always considered himself an enthusiast when it came to artwork and relics, but when he met Mayvin, he came to realize he couldn't hold a candle to Mayvin's passion. But it was because of this old man that Eizen himself became so renowned in the architect field.

The few expeditions he was able to carry out was because Mayvin had invited the young enthusiast to come along. And along the way, he had taught Eizen what to seek and how to decipher when excavating these precious ruins. And although he played as big a role as Eizen had on these expeditions, he refused to take any credit – preferring to stay away from the spotlight.

" _My job is to tell the story of these lost, forgotten people, nothing more."_ Were his words to Eizen five years ago. It as his mantra – his reason as to why he enjoyed doing what he did as a living.

"So what's this about," Eizen resumed, imagining the older man on the other end. He was probably decked out in dusty clothes, probably ridden with a hole here and there but nonetheless comfortable in his modest lodging. He had the funds to have afforded a bigger home, but as he was always up and about, he had once stated that there was no need for such a glamorous place when he would hardly ever be able to enjoy it.

"I'm sure you know by now, Eizen, what my calls are usually about." There was a pause from Eizen's end which told Mayvin that his pupil knew all too well where this conversation was going to lead. "A team of researchers returned from the Asras Sea a few days ago. Their return was delayed and before I can ask why, Benwick was handing me his map." Mayvin shifted his eyes downward to lay his eyes on said map and placed his index finger upon a circle that was drawn on it. "They came across an island, unmarked on any atlas, map, and globe," he proceeded to say, awe filling his voice, "It was a small island – took no more than an hour to walk the perimeter. But at the center of this island was a strange structure that dominated the majority of the island. 'Like the remains of an old arena,' is what Benwick told me."

Eizen could begin to picture the island now and gulped. His sense of adventure was awakening and Mayvin knew. "You know what I'm going to ask you now, Eizen," he whispered.

"I do," Eizen responded, releasing the breath that he hadn't realized he had been holding in. The images he had conjured up in his mind were tempting. The relics and remains touched only by the sands of time, the why's and how's of the existence of such a structure, and the history its walls had witnessed. These all beckoned to him. However, no matter how tempting, the image of one little girl's face was all it took to shatter the images. "But I'm going to decline," he concluded.

Mayvin hummed and interlocked his fingers before shifting his gaze to an image on the side of his desk. It was a family photo picturing six individuals. A closer look would reveal a younger image of Mayvin himself as one of those individuals. "Because of your sister?" He asked.

"Yeah," Eizen replied, leaning back in Lailah's chair. "I wouldn't have anyone to take care of her while I'm away." A typical expedition usually took a good week. But for the case of this mysterious island – supposedly untouched and unmarked by modern hands – a minimum of two weeks to scratch the surface. And it wouldn't be proper for an archaeologist to begin unearthing a ruin only to go absent and leave the rest in others' hands. If he wanted to see this project through to the end, it would involve consistent absences for weeks at a time through a course of a year. That was time he couldn't afford.

Mayvin remained silent on the other end for a good while. Eizen suspected it was because he was most likely disappointed with the response he was given. Of course, Mayvin understood the circumstances and reasoning behind Eizen's answer. But he couldn't help but also feel upset at watching such a grand opportunity slip away from his pupil. It was equivalent to watching a star athlete fail to qualify for a team because they were sick on the day of tryouts.

"I suspected as much," Mayvin finally responded, a weak smile on his weathered face as he continued to gaze at the photo on his desk. "Family is irreplaceable." Living in solitude, loneliness became his roommate whom he had gradually become accustomed to. It was a lifestyle he chose, a choice he made knowing the consequences that would follow suit. But because of his isolation, the constant reminder of how important these people pictured in his photo were, echoed in his mind day in and day out. Sorrow and regret hitched a ride on his shoulders every day.

His eyes landed on the lone woman in the photo. She had long blonde hair and green eyes similar to his own. She was smiling with her mouth wide open as she happily showed off her baby to the photographer. Even though it was only a picture taken almost two decades ago, the young lady's smile was still just as contagious as it was in person and Mayvin gradually felt his own lips turning upward.

"Cherish every moment with your little sister. But also know, Eizen, that she wants you to be happy as well…"

When the phone call ended, Eizen was left alone in Lailah's room with his thoughts. It was no easy feat to decline Mayvin's offer to lead that expedition, but it was the most selfless option he had. He was practically a single father raising a toddler. Unfortunately, he couldn't just up and disappear on a whim. Besides, it wasn't as though he was dissatisfied with his life. Even though he wasn't able to go on excursions as he had done in his early twenties, he was content with his life.

He enjoyed what he did for a living and he was glad he had his sister by his side. He wouldn't consider himself wealthy, but he was able to afford what he wanted, pay the bills, and even throw some into his savings. He lived a drama-free, quiet life with his sister in their three-bedroom, two-bathroom house located just outside of Loegres' marketplace. Going over in his head the simple things he had been blessed with, Eizen found he had little to complain about. But even so, there were times where he did have an inkling that something was missing.

He leaned back in his chair and shut his eyes, realizing just now how strained they were from focusing on his paperwork and laptop screen. Now that his concentration had been interrupted thanks to Mayvin's phone call, the noises that he had once tuned out had returned. The gentle ticking of Lailah's alarm clock, the song of the birds outside, and even the sound of the leaves rustling in the wind were all audible once again. But it was the noise he heard emanating through the walls that attracted his attention the most.

They were the sounds of laughter and conversation mingling to create a gentle murmur. This sound was almost alien to Eizen as he was accustomed to his own silent house. On a regular day, he was often busy maintaining the house or catching up on work. The situation often left Edna alone in her room, occupying herself with her crafts or reading her latest book. Once in a while he would hear the television but those moments were rare as his sister wasn't a big fan of any shows as he assumed her other classmates were. He was never bothered by how quiet their household was. In fact, with their similar personalities, a silent atmosphere was rather pleasant. But, listening to their murmurs now, Eizen found this gentle noise…pleasing. He couldn't put it into words even with his wide vocabulary but this noise he was hearing, it was comforting. Like someone had draped a blanket over him.

Figuring that after three solid hours of non-stop work he was deserving of a break, Eizen decided to step away from his pile of incomplete work to rejoin the girls. The moment he pulled open the door of Lailah's bedroom, the sugary, sweet scent of cookies filled his nostrils. It was a scent he had familiarized with the holidays. During that time of year, it was as if every store in the market was either lighting cookie-scented candles or baking them. It was odd to him to be smelling it now when it was the middle of spring.

Upon entering the kitchen, he spotted the girls at the kitchen counter, hair tied up, aprons on, and a tray of what he believed to be white sugar cookies lying before them. Multiple jars and bowls of colored frosting were also spread around them.

He looked at Lailah and noticed she was pouting as she was glancing down at Edna's side of the counter. He oddly found her current look adoring. "No fair Edna," the teacher said, "How do yours look better than mine?"

Eizen saw a mischievous smirk cross his sister's lips as she gazed down proudly at her artwork she had put on her cookies. He lightly chuckled at the scene before him. "What's going on over here?" He inquired as he made his way over to them. Standing beside Lailah, he glanced over the cookies laid out before them; a variety of different frosting designs decorated over them. Although they were mere drawings made with piping bags and buttercream frosting, it was clear to Eizen whose cookies would sell better if placed in a bakery store. And sadly, he didn't doubt that Lailah was trying her hardest with her decorations. "I… bet they still taste good…" Eizen said lamely in Lailah's defense.

"Are you done with work, Eizen?" Lailah asked as she wiped pink frosting on her apron.

It was odd to Eizen that Lailah's apron harbored more stains and color than Edna's did. Considering that she was the adult, he had assumed that she would be neater. But in fact, there was even a trace of that same pink frosting sitting on her lower jaw whereas Edna remained neat and fairly clean despite how messy their project was. Without much thought other than to answer her question, he instinctively wiped the frosting from her jaw as he whispered back, "Just a little more and I'll be finished."

Edna stopped what she was doing to stare in awe and curiosity at her brother's actions. He had her teacher blushing just a little from his actions but it didn't seem to be anything that unnerved her. After all, they had been caught in more compromising, albeit innocent, situations. "Would you like some coffee then," Lailah asked him in return.

"I'd like that," Eizen smiled back.

Lailah retreated to the back counter and began rummaging through her cabinets. "I got a coffee maker somewhere in here…" She mumbled to herself. Being as she herself wasn't big on coffee, she usually stashed the machine away to provide some space for her electric kettle. Had it not been for the fact that she received it as a welcoming gift from her assistant, Eleanor, she doubted she would even have such a thing in her possession. "Ah here it is," she exclaimed as she opened one of her upper cabinets.

The second Eizen saw where the coffee maker was stowed, he immediately made his way over to her. "Let me help you with that." With his height advantage, it was no problem for him to retrieve it for her. It was a fancier model that required specific coffee pods to be inserted which fortunately came with the machine. However, judging by the look on Lailah's face, Eizen could tell that her knowledge on working the machine was very limited.

Side by side, the duo worked on setting the coffee machine up with Edna meanwhile watching them from her original position. Seeing her older brother interact, talk, and smile with her teacher made her happy. At home he was always cooped up, always trying to please her and always caught up in house chores. There was something different about the Eizen she was seeing now.

XxxxxxxxxxxX

Once they got the machine working, the stream of black liquid began filling the white porcelain mug settled beneath, creating a pool of caffeine and filling the room with that familiar scent every early-to-rise adult was accustomed to. Lailah peered into the inky pool as if she was one of the few who had never witnessed a cup of coffee being brewed and was humming quietly as she examined the machine's works.

Eizen on the other hand, found her curiosity and facial features far more appealing as he realized that in the time it was taking his coffee to brew, his eyes were set on Lailah. Like an individual flower picked from a field, he was examining all of her petals, leaves, coloring, and scent – admiring all of the individual features she alone possessed that made him single her out among all the other flowers in the field. There were many women Eizen came across who he would label "beautiful" but none stood out to him the way Lailah did.

In examining her, he took note of the permanent flush of her cheeks, her glazed eyes, and her usually pink lips now void of their usual color. "Hey," he whispered as he got closer to her, closing the small gap between them and placing a hand to her forehead. "You're heating up."

She gave him a hum of acknowledgement before taking a step closer to him, nearly meshing their bodies into one. Looking up at the taller man, Lailah passed him a weak smile. "I guess this fever has finally caught up to me…" Her irises disappeared behind her eyelids and her body slowly began to sink further against his. She was still very conscious as she listened to and noted the gentle, rhythmic pounding of Eizen's heartbeat.

Although the thought of taking care of another human being aside from his sister always presented itself as rather cumbersome, with Lailah nestled against his chest, Eizen didn't find her the least bit bothersome. Scooping her into his arms like a newly-wed bride, he whispered, "You shouldn't have pushed yourself if you weren't feeling well." Lailah knew as well as he did that his words, meant to be a lecture, came out kinder and softer than he had expected. Despite his rather harsh and aloof personality with his students, neighbors, and coworkers, for whatever reason, when it came to Lailah, he was always gentle. Not as if she had ever done anything to frustrate him, but he could never find it in himself to raise his voice at her even if she were to do anything foolish.

He set her down on her well-made bed as if she were made of glass and laid the duvet cover over her. "Get some rest," he whispered to her from his position on the edge of her bed.

She gave him a weak nod then smiled as her eyes drifted to the doorway. Following her gaze, Eizen saw that Edna had followed them in from the kitchen and she was now making her way to join him at her bedside. The little girl grabbed Lailah's outstretched hand and plopped her head down against the mattress. "Are you tired too, Edna," Lailah asked as she began sitting up. Eizen was prepared to ask her to lay back down but stopped when he watched her open up her arms. "Come here," she motioned to Edna.

Edna, without hesitation, accepted the invite, crawling onto the bed to make her way into Lailah's arms. "You had a long day too, didn't you?" Lailah asked tiredly, stroking the young girl's short blonde hair. Edna nodded before pulling out the card Eizen had come across the day prior. Tactfully tucked inside her sweater, she now presented it to the woman who was holding her.

It took a second for Lailah to register what Edna was holding out to her, but when the image of the heart-nurse became clear, a bright smile lightened up her features. "For me?" She opened up the card and after taking the time to read the words within, she wrapped her arms ever tighter around the toddler and rested her cheek atop her head. Edna as well returned the embrace, sinking further into her arms and finding her head resting against the woman's bosom. From his position, Eizen was able to spot a gentle, but nonetheless genuine, smile on his sister's lips.

It didn't take long for the woman and child to fall asleep. Eizen had remained at their bedside as he waited for their nap to take place, never taking his eyes off of either one of them. They seemed at peace. Like a picture-perfect image of a child and her mother taking a mid-afternoon nap. Watching the two of them returned that sense of calm that he had experienced when he had overheard them having fun and talking while frosting cookies. Growing up in an orphanage, Eizen never had the opportunity to experience the sort of tenderness Lailah displayed towards Edna. He managed fine without paternal love but that by no means meant he intended to raise Edna in the same method.

Reaching over, he took the handmade card from Lailah's hand so that it wouldn't get wrinkled or crumpled and set it on the nightstand beside them. It was then that he noticed that a picture frame was absent from the stand. He glanced over at her vanity where he had set up his work area and again, there were no pictures or photographs of family or friends to be seen. Same when he recalled her living room and kitchen. All the walls and refrigerator face had been bare. No images or memories of her life before arriving at Loegres could be seen.

He gently laid his hand over Lailah's, giving it a light squeeze so as not to wake her. Perhaps behind that smile she always wore was a lonely person ridden with a dark past, a tragedy so disheartening she was forced to leave all that she loved behind. He would never know nor would he ever inquire. She was giving Edna the motherly love that had been absent in her life; a love that no number of toys, dolls, books, or activities could ever replace. If Lailah was alone, she wouldn't be now because she was considered a permanent fixture in both his and his sister's life. He cared about her more than he had originally thought. And he was beginning to realize he liked her… A lot more than he would have liked to admit.

 **A/N: Only took a year and more to write. I've picked up Tales of Vesperia and I guess that was the inspiration I needed to get back into gear. (Right? Playing video games makes you want to also do something creative like write?) For the few who follow this story, thanks for sticking around. I can't promise anything when it comes to updating frequently but I do have this whole story's plot laid out so I don't plan on abandoning it just yet. Anywho… If things go according to my outline, we may be seeing some Rangetsu brothers next chapter! See you then!**


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